What Works: Cook Paving and Construction

From its headquarters on Brookpark Road, Cook employs 100 people during the peak outdoor work season, 40 in the off-season.

Cook President Victor Stewart says his firm has received some benefit from federal stimulus money, but not considerable benefits.

"That money is just trickling in here and there are a lot of companies like our that are just hanging on and waiting for this to come through."

Stewart says Cook Paving has been successful by tackling parts of construction projects that the largest companies would rather not handle.

"They don't like doing the under guardrail stuff on a bridge, and the bridge approaches," he said. "A minority or female company can carve out a niche for itself, but you've got to get in there, the American way, and figure out how to make money at it. That's what Cook does."

Cook Paving and Construction is currently working on a major infrastructure project for Cleveland Public Power and expects to be a part of major downtown Cleveland projects. including the new Innerbelt bridge.